Black Dog Sin
by lianglan88
Summary: Stiles is surrounded by brain dead werewolves. When Derek brings up that he thinks there is another werewolf on their territory, but neither him nor Scott or any other of the pack are able to find or detect the werewolf, Stiles is the only one who can figure out why. Magic shenanigans are afoot, affecting everyone but Stiles and he is determined to find answers.
1. Chapter 1

"Shiiiit shit shit!" Stiles slammed on the breaks of his jeep as he reeled into the school parking lot. He was not only late, he was missing the one class he shouldn't be late to and he really didn't want detention tonight. Not tonight. No, most definitely not tonight, he needed to do things and stuff! No time to be late! He grabbed his half empty backpack from the passenger seat and attempted to jump out of his jeep without unbuckling his seat belt, resulting in a rather embarrassing choking noise and ungraceful flailing.

Free at last from the restrictions of responsible safety gear, Stiles was barreling through the parking lot with the single-mindedness only Adderall could induce. So focused on getting through those double doors that he didn't see the girl until he full on collided with her and went sprawling on the asphalt. His backpack magically unzipped and all his papers from this half of the semester spewed forth like a waterfall of papercuts, spreading in all directions.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry!" the girl said behind the hand covering her mouth in horror.

It took a few blinks for Stiles to realize he was looking up from a horizontal position. He just lay there dumbly for a moment before choking back a hysterical laugh. Yes, of corse. Message received Universe, detention it is!

"Are you ok?" a worried female voice asked him.

"Yeah," Stile wheezed sitting himself up and thinking how lacrosse practice must've knocked him around more last night than he had thought. "Just think I pulled my dignity a bit, nothing to worry about," he said, shading his eyes to see who he had literally run into.

"Here, let me help you get these," the anxious voice pleaded. The girl was shorted than Stiles, shorter than most girls he knew. She was bent over and grabbing papers scattered around them and her hair was dangling around her face, blocking his view. Stiles sought out his book bag and seeing it just to his left, reached for it and started trying to gather his papers.

"Thanks, I'm sorry I ran into you," he started but she shook her head.

"No, really, I think this was my fault," she said, handing him the last handful of papers. As Stiles heaved himself up, man, how hard had he run into this girl? He heard the bell signaling the end of first period ring inside the school. He gave a dramatic sigh and let his shoulders fall. "Oh, are you running late?" she asked, her voice hardly audible.

"Yeah, but it happens," he said, turning to face her. She was looking down at the ground, looking very guilty. "Hey, its no big deal," he squinted, "are you new here?"

"Yeah," she said, tugging at a hemp bracelet on her wrist nervously, "first day."

"Well, let me give you a crash course in BH high," he said, smirking at his own clever pun, "what class are you heading to?"

Stiles was winded when he collapsed into his desk behind Scott for second period, proud to have made it by the skin of his teeth. He had escorted the new girl, Ana, to her first class. He barely heard her thank you, she was so quiet. He was vaguely reminded of a frightened animal curling in on itself, but he trunked it up to being new. He was settled in by the time he notice Scott was turned around and staring at him.

"What?"

Scott squinted at him and said he smelt funny.

"Dude, rude," was all he could get out before class started in earnest. Scott turned around and sank back into his seat.

"So I can't make it tonight," Stiles managed between bites of his sandwich, "got detention fo' sure."

Scott shook his head, "didn't you set an alarm?"

"Yes!" Stiles said, gesturing emphatically with the rest of his sandwich. "It went off, hit it, and bam! back to sleep."

Scott rolled his eyes and ate his own lunch slowly. "What's wif you?" Stiles asked, waving a hand at Scott's hardly touched lunch.

"I dunno, just, something feels off."

Stiles hmmed but knew his friend wasn't much in the mood for talking so he set about finishing his own meal. He was spacing out when he noticed someone at the far edge of the cafeteria. He nudged Scott, "that's the girl I ran into, literally. She's new, said her name is Ana."

Scott grunted and barely looked up, apparently uninterested. Stiles looked at him incredulously. He looked back over to where Ana was sitting by herself and waved until she noticed. She looked up and gave a small wave. Stiles motioned for her to come over, pointing to the open seats around him and Scott, but she turned bright red and shook her head. "Huh," Stiles said, and stopped waving like an idiot. "Weird. Must be shy." He threw a big grin her way anyway but she was already looking away, placing ear buds in her ears and fiddling with her phone.


	2. Chapter 2

A week later, Derek was pacing around the remains of the old Hale house. He was circling slowly, stopping here and there and inhaling deeply. He didn't like it. He was trying to place the scent, but it was infuriatingly difficult. It was like trying to remember the last item on a very important list but drawing a blank just as you're about to realize it.

Someone had been in these woods last night, that much was obvious. He had come for a run in his wolf form, just to let off some steam, but soon found the slightest of traces of the scent he was still trying to place. There was a disjoint between his extended scenes and his perception and it was highly agitating. Who, or what, was running around the pack's territory without permission? A buzz from his pocket interrupted his thoughts indicating a text message on the screen of his phone.

His eyes narrowed at the text from Stiles: "Your presence is required oh mighty Big Bad. Tonight. Pack meeting."

"Fine," he texted back and put the phone back in his pocket. He tried to refocus on the scent messing with him when the phone buzzed again. He growled and pulled it out.

"Bring snacks. You always skip your turn and I'm not picking up the slack of certain inconsiderate packmates."

Derek snarled. Fucking Stiles. Derek much preferred when the kid was terrified of him and convinced he was a crazy murderer. He really irked him in ways no one else seemed to be able to, not even Scott.

"Noted."

A moment passed before Stiles responded: "Bring Funions." Derek tried really hard not to crush his cell phone and barely succeeded.

A wise man once stated that all work and no play makes a dull boy, and Stiles was bored. Nothing much had been going on for a few months and for once there seemed to be an air of normalcy about Beacon Hill that was simultaneously pleasant and also horribly boring. So, instead of focusing on things like catching up on classes and practicing for the SATs, Stiles decided he was find out more about the new girl, Ana.

He didn't want to be a creeper or anything, he left all of the lurking and sneaking up on people to Derek. No, he just wanted to be friendly and make sure the new kid was doing ok. He would see her constantly in the halls and he observed their classes were parallel. He would wave and most of the time she would wave back, even occasionally smiling shyly from the other side of the hall before ducking into her next class. He found it was easy to loose her in a crowd, being there one moment and gone the next.

Whenever Stiles brought up Ana to Scott, his friend would appear not to notice. He asked Lydia about her because he knew she knew everything about everyone, but she only shrugged. She was in her English class and sat at the back of the room. "She seems to be painfully shy," Lydia said and shrugged, not too interested. Stiles even asked Jackson, but he only shrugged.

Unable to get the info he desired, Stiles entered challenge mode. On Wednesday he spotted her in the library, sitting quietly at a table with some books and a notebook out. Seizing the opportunity, he walked over to her and asked if he could sit with her. Ana gave a tiny smile and nodded, and made room for Stiles. He asked how she was liking BH, and she replied it wasn't too bad. He was about to ask where she was from, just to make chit chat, when she looked over his shoulder and quickly looked down at the table again. She quickly gathered up her things and apologizing, left. Stiles watched her go, confused as Scott came up behind him and asked what was he doing in the library.

So when everyone was sitting around Scott's living room, talking before Derek arrived, Stiles tried again to bring up the subject to Scott. Melissa was walking by when Stiles flung up his hands and walked out of the living room, fed up with Scott's glazed over look. "What's wrong?" Mom McCall asked as she pulled back her hair for her shift.

Stiles made a brief rant to Ms. McCall and she listened with strained patience. She shouted to Scott to pay attention, Stiles was having girl trouble. "Oh, my God, that's not what this is about!" he cried, exasperated.

So when Derek showed up and threw a bag of Doritos at Stiles, Stiles was not exactly thrilled. He snatched the bag from where it had bounced off his head and tore into it sullenly. Derek gave him a blank stare for a moment, and turned his attention back to the room as a large.

The chatter continued for a moment before Derek decided to cut to the chase. "We have another werewolf in our territory," he said, not bothering to raise his voice. The room quieted instantly and everyone turned to look at him, confused.

"What makes you think that?" Scoot asked, tilting his head up slightly.

Derek shifted ever so slightly, a modest slip of discomfort. "I could smell another, but it was difficult to pinpoint." Scott raised his eyebrows expectantly, but didn't say anything. Derek frowned and explained the situation he had encountered in the woods near the abandoned Hale house.

"So you could smell it but not?" Jackson asked, somewhat mockingly.

"Yes," Derek clipped.

"Do you think that this is a threat?" Liam asked.

Derek let his eyes meet Scott, in deference to his alpha. He felt a strange compulsion to forsake his usual stoic attitude. "I honestly don't know," he finally finished.

"Well, are we talkin' another alpha? beta? omega?" Stiles asked, piping up for the first time, wiping away orange cheese dust from his mouth. Derek tilted his head at him and narrowed his eyes. "I'm thinking if this is an alpha, couldn't they just mask their scent? Wouldn't that be the smart thing to do? Or if this is some passing Omega? I mean, is this a threat to the pack, to Beacon Hills or what?"

Derek was slightly surprised by the insight but also repulsed by it being from Stiles. Scott stood up and appeared to be deep in thought, which still looked like a puppy trying to figure out how to walk to Derek but he shoved that thought aside. For better or worse, this was his pack and he'd try to respect his alpha.

"We need a closer look, let's go," Scott declared decisively.

Derek was all for examining the situation further, but this was some new brand of torture. "It's so weird, when I try and bring it up to Scott or Jackson, or even Liam it's like the lights are on but nobody's home!" Stiles whispered harshly.

"Stiles."

"What?"

"Shut. Up."

Stiles glared at him and grumbled up his breath about wolfy douche bags. Derek searched around their part of the forest, using all his senses to try and find the lingering traces of the other wolf. It was faint, but still present, however it was seemingly everywhere, leading in no particular direction.

"So, what are your spidey senses detecting?" Stiles whispered after a whole thirty seconds of quiet.

Derek growled low, not really at Stiles but out of frustration. "I can't track it but its here."

"Huh. That's weird right?"

"Yes. Text Scott and tell him to meet us here. I think it is a little stronger in this area."

"Fine, fine, I'll make with the technology, Big Bad."

"Stop calling me that."

Stiles grinned as he hit the send button, "oh c'mon it suits you!"

Derek knew Stiles wouldn't see the glare in the darkness but nonetheless he did so anyways.

It took a painfully long time for Scott, Liam, and Jackson to meet up with them. Stiles sat on a stump and continued to talk about something that went in one ear and out the other for Derek. He tried to focus on being alert just incase there was a strange alpha lurking somewhere near by, masking its scent. Not that it made a difference when they arrived. Scott, his eyes glowing red in the dark stated he couldn't smell or detect any strange scents, neither could Jackson or Liam.

An uneasy feeling itched at the back of Derek's mind. Scott decided to call it a night at left with Stiles in tow and Liam and Jackson left as well. Derek found his way back to his loft and tried to sort out the puzzle.


	3. Chapter 3

Stiles anxiously swiveled on the stool at the animal clinic as Dr. Deaton finished assuring a lady that her dog would be fine but needed overnight observation. She left and the vet turned his attention to the ever mobile Stiles.

"Yes, Mr. Stilinski, what is it?

Stiles sprang up and took a deep breath. "Is there something out there that can give werewolves brain damage?

Dr. Deaton blinked at him but considered the question. "What do you mean?"

"Right, like, memory loss or something? Because a couple days ago, we had our pack meet. Derek comes in and says there's some other werewolf lurking around the woods and we all go out to investigate. Derek points out a place where he smells something but Scott doesn't!"

Deaton listened carefully, "that is strange, the alpha unable to detect a scent like that.

"But that's not the thing! I asked Scott about it today and *he had no idea what I was talking about*! He doesn't remember! And Jackson and Liam said they thought there was nothing out there," Stiles said, his voice higher than normal.

Deaton raised his eyebrows and sat down to consider. "Brain damage," he muttered, mulling it over. "This is a problem. I don't know right off hand anything like a poison that could cause memory loss explicitly in werewolves, but I can look in to it." He paused, and then asked about Derek.

Stiles shrugged, "I don't know, I haven't asked."

"You should. It'll be helpful to know if this is affecting him as well."

Stiles frowned, but nodded.

"Is anyone else affected?"

Stiles stopped pacing and squinted in concentration. "Malia, Erica, Lydia. They don't seem to remember it either."

"So, everyone but you?"

Stiles' eyes went wide. That can't be right. He didn't make it up, right? No. It definitely happened. He felt a slight dropping sensation about manipulated memories, but pressed it down. No. This was a real event.

"You should really check with Derek," Deaton emphasized.

"Yeah… yeah I'll do that."

"What," Derek said as he opened the door ever so slightly to see Stiles slightly panicked face.

"Dude, last week. What do you remember?" Derek stared at him for a moment before asking what he meant. "Last week, when we went into the woods to look for that mystery wolf you thought was out there, what do you remember?" Stiles was breathing a little heavily and not from physical exhaustion. Derek could smell the sick scent of stress hormones in Stiles' sweat and for some reason let him into the loft.

"You have to remember. You brought it up!" he pointed accusingly to Derek, who just raised an eyebrow. "I did not make this up!" Stiles' arms flew up and he rubbed his head in exasperation. He was very close to a full panic attack and despite the plaster cast of apathy on his face, Derek moved forward and placed a hand on his shoulder and steered Stiles to his couch and sat him down, forcefully.

"Calm down, Stiles," he said evenly, looking down at him on the couch.

"Yeah, yeah," Stiles gasped out and took a moment to do those breathing exercises. Meanwhile Derek thought back to last week, to figure out what Stiles was going on about. "Please," Stiles said quietly, "tell me you remember and I'm not crazy."

"You're undoubtedly crazy, Stiles. But not about this particular thing. I do remember going to the preserve and finding a strange scent, but you weren't there."

"But!" Derek could smell the panic coming back but Derek broke him off.

"I believe you though."

"You… do?"

"Yes, something is not right and I don't like it. Tell me everything." Which Derek instantly regretted as Stiles flew through the event and how no one else seems to get what was going on. Derek frowned.

"This must be some form of magic or something. I need you to look into this Stiles."

"What? Why me!"

"It appears to be only affecting the nonhumans. Even I'm struggling to sense the other wolf in the woods. From what you're saying I may not even remember this conversation for long."

Stiles swallowed and nodded. "So… I have to do this alone."

Derek frowned at the tone in Stiles' voice. The thought of Stiles bumbling around on his own after something unknown seemed a bit terrifying to him and the wolf in the back of his mind growled low at the idea. "Stiles," Derek started and the kid jumped slightly and looked up for the first time, "you're not alone… just…" Derek struggled to find the word as Stiles looked at him with a confused expression, "independent."

"Independently?" Stiles repeated.

"I think you're capable, just don't do something stupid."

"Something stupid?" Stiles asked innocently, a sudden smile spreading across his face. "Well if I didn't know any better I'd say you're worried about me!"

"Are we done here." Derek stated, ignoring the teasing grin on Stiles face.

"Yup! Don't mind me. Batman on the case." Stiles popped off the couch and left in a hurry.

His loft once again empty, Derek felt a brief tide of anxiousness well up and come out of him in a quiet, simple declaration of "Fuck."


	4. Chapter 4

Stiles tapped away furiously with his pen. His mind buzzed with the desire to focus intensely but not on the stupid English paper in front of him. He had a mission, a lone mission and he wanted to accomplish it, not write a stupid paper about stupid Wuthering Heights, a stupid book he hadn't even read. He'd taken probably more Adderal than he should've but he needed to get this done so he could figure out the mystery of the brain dead werewolves.

"Are-are you ok, Stiles? a soft voice called to him from over his shoulder, making him jump.

"Wha? Oh! Hey, Ana, yeah, fine!" He looked up at the girl standing behind him in. "Why?"

"You appear to be, um, buzzing," she pointed to the pen still tapping on his empty notebook.

"Oh, yeah. I'm just trying to write this stupid paper!"

"You may want to uncap the pen, then. Might be easier that way," Ana said, smiling a little.

"Ah, yup. That maybe the secret to ultimate productivity!" He uncapped the pen with a flourish, and heard her make a tiny giggle.

"Do you - would you like some help?" Ana asked, looking concerned. "Is this the essay for Jane Eyre?"

Stiles moaned and let his head hit the library desk. "Nooo, the one before that."

"Oh… isn't that due tomorrow?" Stiles thumped his head on the desk as an affirmative.

He heard the chair next to him slide out and felt the vibration of a bag settling on the table next to his stuff. He wanted to just lay there, Batman defeated, until he felt a small hand rest on his shoulder.

"Hey, it's ok. Have you tried just writing an outline yet?"

He lifted up and sighed, feeling a bit calmer, and shook his head.

"That could help. Really, if you start with a basic outline, then fill it in, and give it a proof ready it could be much more manageable."

That actually made sense, Stiles thought and he turned slightly to face Ana with a smile. She looked down and moved her hand to the notebook in front of him. This was the first time he got a close look at her and he noticed that despite her small frame and the high levels of introversion, she seemed… solid. Like, compact but not bulky. Her light brown hair was short and practical, but a bit frizzy and unkempt. She had some freckles across her cheeks and a round face and green eyes. She pulled out the assignment sheet trapped underneath his notebook and looked over it. Her quiet voice pulled him back from his creepy staring: "Which are you choosing?"

"Uuuuhhh…" Stiles scratch his neck absently.

"Have you read Wuthering Heights?" Ana asked, hesitating.

"Depends on what you mean by reading."

She looked at him with raised eyebrows and brought her hand to her chin and with her pointer finger, absently tapped her lips. "Hmmmm…" her expression thoughtful, the movement of the tapping causing a shiny charm on her hemp bracelet to jingle slightly.

"Uh, cool bracelet there."

Ana's eyes narrowed briefly and she dropped her hand to her lap. "Yeah, it's just an old thing I made. Anyways, um, how about Topic 3? There was a whole bunch of handouts on Heathcliff's' character development. You could work off of those and maybe pull some things right from the book. It won't get you an A+ but it'd be better than submitting late or nothing at all."

"Sounds good to me. Except I don't know if I have the said handouts." Ana rolled her eyes and dug out her own copies. She warned him this was a one time deal and that he couldn't use anything she had written in the margins. Stiles nodded, not wanting to directly cheat off of her. As she stood up he back out and stood up too: "Hey, thanks a lot! I'll get these back to you as soon as I'm done."

"Which will be tonight, right?" Stiles nodded. "Good." She picked up her bag and went to leave but Stiles asked her to wait. "Hey, why don't you join me at lunch sometime?"

Ana stiffened a bit and looked down. "I - I don't know. I'm not much of a, um, group person."

"Dude that's cool! Scott and the rest of 'em don't bite or anything, although Lydia can be a bit much-" Stiles stopped, noticing Ana flinched when he said Scott and downright jumped at 'bite'.

"No, that's fine, thanks though, maybe some other time," she said, each word getting quieter and then she high tailed it out of the library.

Later that night, Stiles slammed down his pen triumphantly and spun around in his chair. He had just finished a crap-tastic essay and all he had to do was type it up. It was strangely relieving and Stiles sighed a bit. He glanced down at his scribbles and at the handouts spread around him. Ana's advice helped significantly. Like she said, it wasn't supreme material but a C is better than a 0.

A thought pricked at the back of his mind but now that he had just finished the essay his mind was losing its focus again so he blinked a few times and took a breath. Just let it come, he thought. When he opened his eyes again he looked down at the handouts and he looked at Ana's notes in the margins and then her name written across the top. Ana Kaizer. What a weird last name...

A knock at his door startled him and he flailed. "Uh, I'm not interrupting anything am I?" Stilinski asked, concerned.

"Oh, no you just startled me," Stiles said, embarrassed.

"Just letting you know I'm off to work, checking in," he said, eyeing him significantly.

"Cool, have a good shift." The Sheriff stared him down. "Yes I'm doing homework, see?" He waved to the papers everywhere. The Sheriff nodded and closed the door and Stiles turned to his computer.

About halfway through typing the first page when he decided he needed to stretch and get a drink. He got up, reaching for the ceiling and then turned to head for his door - and gave of a shrill scream and spazed when he saw Derek sitting in the chair behind him with one of his books.

"You! Not ok!" Stiles managed and tried to get his breathing under control. "What is with alphas? There is a thing called -knocking-! God, you're such a fucking creeper!"

Derek barely looked up, a single eyebrow arching and a hint of a smug smirk. Stiles huffed and went to go for his door for his drink when Derek's smug expression changed and his eyes narrowed. He stood up and shut the door as Stiles tried to exit. "What now?" Stiles demanded.

Derek leaned in and Stiles leaned away. "You smell off."

"Oh, my god, can you guys stop saying that?" Stiles pulled futile at the door trying to get by. Derek didn't let up, trying to sort out why he couldn't identify the smell. It was almost making him dizzy trying to focus on it.

The look on Derek's face was starting to freak out Stiles. It looked like he was going to blow a fuse or something. "Hey, Derek, don't pull a gasket on me," he said, trying to joke.

Derek blinked, "what."

"You looked brain constipated." Derek glared at him. "What are you even doing here?"

Derek let go of the door but Stiles didn't move to open it again. Derek leaned back crossed his arms and looked like he was about to say something but then frowned. "I don't remember," he said, somewhat astonished.

"Ugh, why am I surrounded by fail-wolves lately," Stiles rolled his eyes and went to open his door once more, muttering about brain dead werewolves when he stopped. "You don't remember," Stiles said, ignoring the door and looking at Derek carefully.

"No," Derek gritted out, obviously annoyed by the statement.

"You wouldn't come here without a reason." Derek nodded. "But you don't remember…" Stiles started pacing his room, his mind racing ahead of him. "Ok bear with me," Derek rolled his eyes, "what were you doing before this?"

"Patrolling."

"Why patrolling here?"

Derek frowned deeper and concentrated, "I don't know," he said finally.

"Ok, scratch that, you said I smelt off, off like what? Like…" Stiles paused looking at Derek expectantly before sighing, "like a mystery wolf you were out patrolling for?"

Derek shot a shocked look to Stiles who clapped and stopped pacing. "Yes! That's it! Ok, so what does this mean?" Stiles closed his eyes and tried to slow his racing mind. It took a good moment before his mind clicked. "I've run into this other wolf." Stiles jumped slightly when Derek growled under his breath, breaking the sudden quiet.

"Ok, ok, ok focus. Who have I run into today? Focus. I had to stay late and finish that stupid essay and I had to skip lacrosse practice. I ran into Scott just before and he didn't say anything, and he did before about a week and a half ago… so… who did I run into between then and now…"

Derek just watched with raised eyebrows as Stiles stopped pacing but started to talk faster, trying to follow. "Get to the point, Stiles."

"I was in the library and then came right back here to finish when they were kicking everyone out," Stiles's eyes went wide and he dove for his desk and grabbed a paper and shoved it at Derek, "what does this say?"

Derek blinked at having his space invaded but backed away. It was just a handout from an English class. "Stiles, get that out of my face," Derek said, annoyed.

"No, wait, right here," Stiles pointed to the top where there was a space for a name, "work with me here, what does it say right here?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Stiles pulled it away to double check before a huge, victorious grin broke his face. "Ha! Oh my god, I know who it is!"


	5. Chapter 5

Stiles was about to round the corner of the hallway at school, looking for a certain possible werewolf when he heard shouting. Most of the school was quiet, nearly everyone was out front in the process of leaving or heading to various sports fields. He picked up his pace when he heard a girl say "get away from me!"

He peaked around the corner and saw that Janice's, an acquaintance of his, pinned against a locker by her ex-boyfriend. He was about to blindly go to try and help her when he stopped and dipped back around the corner.

Ana was coming around the corner from the other side of the hall, walking fast. She stopped just short of the ex-boyfriend and said something Stiles couldn't hear, but he saw the guy shove at her. What he saw next made his eyes go wide.

Ana gripped the guy's wrist and pulled. Stiles could hear the crack right before the guy exclaimed in pain and let go of Janice. Stiles strained to hear what Ana said, but caught it nonetheless; "If I catch you doing anything like this again, I assure you there'll be consequences. I suggest you get that look at," she said and when the guys just stared at her in disbelief she finished with a low, "now." He took off toward the nurses office.

She turned to look at Janice, asking if she was ok. Janice nodded, grabbed her stuff and hustled in the opposite direction of her ex-boyfriend. When Stiles glanced around the corner, the hallway was empty.

"Ana!" Stiles shouted as he ran down the steps of the school, dodging other students to catch up with Ana. "Hey!" he said when he caught up to her, "I finished that paper last night! Your advice was awesome!"

Ana smiled, "great!"

Stiles dug into his backpack and handed Ana back her papers, "these were super helpful, and I promise I didn't take any of your notes. But, uh, I was wondering something," Stiles asked as Ana took back her papers, "do you think you could help me with my Jane Eyre paper too? Like, there's a pretty cheap diner just a couple blocks away and we can grab some food, or not, if you want…" Stiles trailed off realizing a bit too late that this might be seen as him awkwardly asking her out.

"Uh, well, that sounds nice but shouldn't you be asking one of your friends? Lydia seems pretty smart…"

"Lydia? Well, lets just say the last time I went to her for bio help she looked at me like I was something very gross stuck to the bottom of her shoe."

Ana's eye widened, "that's terrible!"

Stiles shrugged, "she has her moments. So what do you say? I can give you a lift, my Jeep's right over there. Also, this diner has amazing curly fries, like, the best." Stiles finished off with his attempt of the Scott puppy eyes, which made Ana snort and quickly cover her mouth before nodding. "Sweet!"

Stiles looked from his outline to across the booth table where Ana was reading Jane Eyre. He bit the bottom of his lip, trying to think of how to breach the subject. Hey, I know you're a werewolf but its cool I hang around them and I just want to know if you intend to kill them maybe? That didn't seem even vaguely acceptable. He was watching her, trying to reconcile the small, quiet girl in front of him with the sound of that guy's wrist snapping.

"Is there something wrong, Stiles?" He jumped a bit at her voice and realizing that she was looking up from her book with concern.

"Uh, well, maybe. Sort of." She looked at him with wide eyes and put down the book. "Listen, I'm just going to go out on a limb here. I saw that whole thing earlier with Janice's horrible asshole of an ex," Ana's eyes went wide with fear, "which was awesome, by the way, he totally deserved it. But what I need to get at is this. I know your situation."

"My situation?"

"Yes, it's a similar situation with my friends Scott, Liam, Erica, Jackson… and well, I just gotta know why you're hiding it?"

Ana's hands went to her lap and her face went blank. It was kind of disturbing until she blinked. "Stiles, I'm not sure what you're getting at-"

"Listen, I've been dealing with this for a couple years now. I know it when I see it. We've had some issues with… other… people coming in and causing trouble," Stiles was struggling with the words but for once he was still, trying to measure her as much as he could.

Ana stared at him for a long moment. "Are you trying to threaten me?" she asked finally, her voice low but there was something else… Stiles winced when he realized it was sadness.

"No-no, nothing like that. We-I understand that the situation is difficult and just need to make sure no one gets hurt," Stiles said, his hands going up in a placating gesture.

"I see." Ana moved her hands to the table top and leaned forward. "Stiles, whatever -situation- you may think I have is none of your business," she said, reaching for her bookbag and starting to get up.

"Wait, hold on a sec! I-I have to know that my pack is safe!" Stiles said, not even realizing that he'd said 'pack' until it was out in the open.

Ana froze and looked at him. Her gaze didn't let up, but she just looked… sad. She grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder and slid out of the booth. She stopped though, and leaned down to be level with him, her face very close. "Stiles, do you know the thing about our eyes? What their colors mean?" Stiles opened his mouth to say something but swallowed and nodded. "Good," she said and he found himself briefly looking into bright, glowing gold eyes, "I'm not here to hurt anybody. I'm just trying to get by. Let dead dogs lie, Stiles, and hopefully no one will get hurt."

"I have to tell them," Stiles said, his tone as quiet as hers.

"Go ahead. They won't remember. And Stiles, don't bother me about this again. Don't bother me at all. Go back to your friends, your pack, and don't ask for notes either," Ana straightened up and with a last disappointed look, turned and walked away.


	6. Chapter 6

Stiles raced up the river bank as fast as he could, scrambling on all fours to reach the top. Once he crested the embankment he ran as fast as he could, his breath coming out in gasps. He'd like to think the crashing sound of the angry water monster chasing after him was the only thing he was running from, but let's face it if his friends caught up to him he was just as dead anyway.

Stiles sometimes wondered why he acted before thinking, but then again thinking could be difficult. A guttural roar sounded closer behind him and he tried desperately to urge his legs faster as he dodged through the trees. How could he help it? Wait around while Scott tried to weigh the risks, Derek glaring at everyone and snapping, all while more people got hurt? No, instead, Stiles went ahead with his plan to distract, enrage, and play bait and hoping his pack would catch on.

For something that lived in rivers and had only two legs, this beat was fast. Stiles glanced around and regretted it immediately, because he could easily see the snapping jaw with thousands of teeth only thirty or so feet away. Oh god, Stiles thought, this is really it this time.

Just when Stiles felt his lungs screaming for breath, he felt a hand grab his arm and suddenly he was up, his feet dangling. Another hand grabbed under his other arm and he was hauled up and up until he had to be forty feet up in a tree. "Wha-" a hand clamped down over his mouth and the other sat him on a thick branch. He started to struggle but froze when an arm wrapped around his waist tight, and he felt something pull him against a warm body.

"Shh!" a quiet voice growled into his ear. He could see the slimy, snake like monster rush past him below on the forest floor. Stiles and his rescuer held very still as he listened to the monster move farther away.

Stiles glanced down at the hand still covering his mouth. The clawed hand covering his mouth. The small, clawed hand with a hemp bracelet around the wrist. When his eyes went wide, the hand clamped down even tighter. "Stiles, hold still. I'll let go if you don't make a sound," Ana whispered. Stiles nodded, and she let her hand slip away. Stiles felt her slip around behind him on the branch, barely causing the limb to move. He looked over, trying not to move so he wouldn't fall, and got an eyefull.

Almost every werewolf Stiles knew looked sleek and muscular, but Ana was a bit different. She was crouching on the branch looking in the direction the monster had run off in, but he could tell she had a slighter build. Looking at her it seemed unlikely that she could've hauled his flailing ass up a tree.

His rude staring was brought to an abrupt end when she turned to look at him with gold eyes. She pointed at him, gesturing for him to hold onto the trunk of the tree. Confused, he obliged. She then narrowed her eyes at him and in a low, growling voice told him to sit and stay. Stiles, mouth agape with indignity, watched as Ana stood up and leapt off the branch, tucking and rolling onto the forest floor below.

He watched as the river dragon thing came roaring back into view, heading right for Ana. She was crouching low with her back to an old oak. The monster barreled toward her and Stiles almost shouted when Ana leapt up to grab a low branch and haul herself up just as the wyvern smashed into the trunk of the tree. The collision shook the tree and splinters flew everywhere, and Stiles watched in amazement as Ana dropped from the branch like a gymnast sticking a landing.

Stiles shuddered at the horrible groan rattled out of the river monster, but sighed in relief when he heard familiar answering howls close by.

"Stiles!" Scott shouted, searching for him after Derek finished off the mysteriously incapacitated worm-thing. "Stiles!"

"Uh… hey Scott."

Scott looked up, and up, and spotted Stiles sitting on a sturdy tree branch waving down at him. "Stiles… why the fuck are you in a tree?"

"Well, you know, the view is just so lovely up here, thought I'd check it out."

While Scott and Stiles bickered, Derek took a closer look at the cracked skull of the river beast. He looked up, trying to pick up a scent teasing at the edge of his perception. He let out a low growl, his eyes flashing red.

"Hey, can you help me get this loser out of the tree so I can kill him?" Scott asked glancing in Derek's direction. Derek closed his eyes and took a deep, deep breath. What did he ever do to deserve this.


	7. Chapter 7

"So, um, about last night…" Stiles started to say once he was standing in front of the cafeteria table Ana occupied, and when she didn't look up he sighed and continued, "thanks."

Ana turned the page of the warn paperback she was reading, ignoring him. Stiles had tried a couple times to talk with her since the debacle a couple weeks back at the diner and had received similar cold treatment. It bothered him more than he thought it would, and he was beginning to realize it was because he felt guilty about the whole thing.

"And I know you're not going to say anything but I also wanted to apologize about, you know, what happened at the diner. I just… was trying to look out for my friends. A vast majority of the time other supernaturals come to BH usually end up trying to kill us, but I was pretty shitty about it to you," the words spilled out of Stiles with sincerity and he shouldered his backpack to go sit with Scott and Allison, but movement made him stop.

Ana put her book down and looked him dead in the eye. "Do you make a habit of risking yourself like that?"

Stiles blinked, thinking. "Yeah… it usually happens that way."

She continued to look at him angrily, but for once Stiles stood still, not even looking down. Unapologetic. Her face softened and she looked down to the table, "Stiles, that's gonna get you hurt someday." Stiles shrugged. A moment passed when she spoke up again, asking why he doesn't go sit with Scott.

"Ah, well… I think he's still mad about last night. So I'm giving him some space. Just me today, no one to sit with… all alone…" Stiles gave Ana his best Scott Puppy Eyes (™) and she actually snorts and giggles.

She regains her breath and looks up to the now grinning Stiles and says: "I'm going to regret this aren't I?" and Stiles plops himself down across from her.

* * *

Over the next month or so, Stiles gradually worked his way into Ana's good graces. Every now and again, he'd try to talk to Scott or anyone else about her but gave up when all he got were blank, glazed expressions. He even tried to ask Ana what she was using on her friends, but she just frowned and looked down at her feet.

"I'm not _using_ anything on them, Stiles."

"But I don't get why you're hiding from them!" Stiles exclaimed, earning a stern hush from the school's librarian.

"I'm not hiding from _them_," she said quietly, her tone defensive.

"Then why?"

Ana brought a hand to her face and covered her eyes with exasperation, "can't you just accept I've got my reasons?"

Stiles chose not to comment and let it drop, for the time being. Mostly because he truly believed that she didn't have any intentions of harming his friends, or anyone for that matter. If Stiles had any real sense to him he should've been satisfied with then and there, as it was fairly obvious she didn't struggle to control her inner wolfy nature.

Life went on. There was a crisis or two, a few hunters up to no good and one incident with a malicious ghost haunting the school gym, but nothing too outrageous. The only real issue Stiles had turned out to come from Frowny McCreeper Wolf.

One Friday night, after he had dropped Ana and Janice off at Ana's small house after school (Stiles had formally introduced Janice and Ana and they were becoming friends pretty easily), he walked up his stairs to find Derek brooding in his room. "You know," Stiles started as he threw his backpack to the floor, "there's this thing called a cell phone and you can text people and let them know when you're stopping by. It's all the rage with kids today, you should try it." Before Stiles could turn around, he found himself shoved against the wall, his personal space invaded by a growling Derek.

"Why do you smell like the wolf I can't track down?" Derek ground out, full out glaring at Stiles.

Stiles sighed and slumped against the wall. As Stiles brought his hands to his face and wiped them down over his eyes, the tired expression took Derek by surprise. "Derek, we've been through this twice now. I've told you, I've tried to get it through to you, to Scott, to everyone." And it seemed to Derek suddenly how guilty Stiles looked.

"What do you mean, Stiles? What are you hiding from m- the pack?" Derek struggled to keep a somewhat even tone as the wolf snapped just below the surface, confused and frustrated.

Stiles actually flinched but shoved at Derek as he shouted; "Nothing! I'm not hiding anything from you! or Scott! or anyone!" Stiles added quickly. "I've tried! I really have! I asked her why, asked her how she is covering up and she won't tell me! And I'm sorry ok?"

Derek watched Stiles carefully, and even though he knew the guy leaning against the wall wasn't lying, he was too on edge to let it go. All he could think about was that Stiles was covering up something and he wasn't trusting him. A voice deep down told Derek he was being stupid, but the distress in Stiles' face was causing him too many emotions too fast for him to sort out…

"Derek…" Derek didn't realize that he'd closed his eyes and that his whole body was tense. He opened his eyes and saw a weird mix of concern and maybe fear on Stiles' face and it made his gut drop. Stiles hands had dropped down to his sides again at some point, but now they were hovering awkwardly in the small space between them, and almost looked like he might be reaching out to Derek.

"Fine." Derek pushed away, crossed the room, snapped open the window, and left.

Stiles looked down to his empty hands and slid down the wall until he was sitting down. He let his hands rest on his knees and let his head thump against the wall. "Fuck," he whispered to himself.


	8. Chapter 8

"Stiles…?" Stiles opens his eyes at the worried voice and looks up to see Ana looking down on him in the grass.

"Ana! What are you doin' here?"

"I walked Janice home. Why are you laying in the grass?"

"Hmmmm…" Stiles ponded and felt something in his right hand, turning his head he saw it was a bottle of Jack, "Oh yeah!" He waved the bottle up at Ana, "this is what I'm doing in the grass. The cool, cool grass…" he grinned up at her and laughed.

Ana just looked down at him with a very concerned expression and wrinkled nose. "I see that, I hope this isn't a habit you're developing. Drinking alone, outside, in a park, at night."

"Well, you're here now!" Stiles said excitedly, and waved the bottle at Ana again, "wan sssome?"

Ana gently took the bottle from his grasp and, crouching down beside him, place the bottle to her side, away from Stiles.

"Stiles, you've had too much," Ana said, her eyes looking him over and worried. "You really reek. Is there someone who can watch you at home?"

"Hmmmmmmm, nope. Dad's on dead shift. Wait, tha's not right. Body shift? Grave shift?"

Ana sighed and frowned. She didn't need to glance at the half empty bottle to know he was going to be very sick very soon. She had a feeling that it wouldn't be a good idea to just leave him alone at home. "Ok Stiles," she stood up, "time to go."

"Aw why, the night is young! And have you tried layin in this grass? 's the best."

"I'm sure."

"Ok, lemme jus' finish my drink," Stiles started patting the ground in reach, apparently forgetting he'd offered the bottle to Ana.

"No, you've had enough. Come on." Ana, very gently, took the searching hand and pulled Stiles up.

Leaning over Ana slightly, Stiles asked for just one more sip. Ana rolled her eyes and tipped the bottle over with a nudge of her foot, causing the rest of the Jack to spill out. "Sorry Stiles, it's all gone."

"Aww, really? But he was my friend."

"I'm going to take you to Scott's house. Which way is it?"

Stiles pondered and eventually pointed in the very general direction of Scott's house. Ana wrapped one arm around Stiles' waist and started walking in the indicated direction, but didn't make it far before stopping. Stiles was literally dragging his feet and Ana threatened to carry him bridal style, which would make both of the look absurd, if he didn't at least try and walk. Stiles giggled but managed to get one foot in front of the other and Ana settled on looping her arm through his so she could steer them as the walked side by side.

"You're a good friend, Anna. Ana."

"You make it difficult sometimes," Ana said, totally deadpan.

"I can't even be mad at you. 'S not your fault."

Ana glanced up at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, Derek's just an asshoooole. You're awesome. Just because you made everyone brain dead doesn't mean he can be a growly jerk," Stiles nodded, in complete agreement with himself.

Ana stopped for a moment, causing Stiles to stagger. He was just getting the walking thing down too. "I'd never lie to him though. An' not even 'cause he could tell, because of wolf super powers. Nope. But does he believe me? Noooo. He doesn't think I trust him, but I do. I do. I trust him so much _-hic-_ so much…" Stiles swayed a bit, his eyes watering.

"I-I'm sorry, Stiles," Ana said quietly.

"I know. Me too." They stood there for a moment, the cool night air alive with soft sounds. Then Stiles made a weird gurgling noise and Ana stepped away just in time to avoid being vomited on. She put a small hand on his back, rubbing circles as he dry heaved a bit.

"Done?" she asked gently after he'd been quiet for a minute. He nodded. Ana looped arms with him again and hustled them along, eager to get away from the smell of alcohol and the half digested dinner Stiles had emptied. It was easier going, Stiles remained quiet the rest of the way to Scott's house.

* * *

A grey muzzle hovered above the empty Jack bottle, sniffing greedily. Hot breath ghosted out as the wolf lifted its nose to the wind and scented the air. The sound of cracking bone disturbed the night, leaving the park suddenly silent. Red eyes flashed in the dark and teeth grinned wickedly as a voice broke the eerie silence: "Found you."


	9. Chapter 9

When Derek left Stiles' house he barely made it to his Camero parked a block or so away without shifting. Once in his car, he drove as fast as he could to the Preserve and did three laps, running as a wolf, before he felt even slightly calmer. He finally stood up in a clearing not far from where his house once stood and took deep breaths. He couldn't remember the source of the agitation that has been bothering him for almost a month. The wolf under his skin growled and snapped in way it hadn't since becoming an alpha and he couldn't, for the life of him, understand why.

He knew, though, that somehow Stiles was involved. He'd been watching Stiles go off on his own more, not exactly sneaking around but not acting like before. That untrackable scent hung around Stiles like a cloud somedays and it grated at Derek. Something had to be done. Derek fought hard to ground himself, letting that inner anger pull his humanity through, but it barely worked.

He made his way back to his car and pulled out of the Preserve and drove in the direction of Scott's house as the sun started to set. When he saw Allison's car in Scott's driveway, he almost turned around. Not that Allison bothered him really, he just felt a sudden sense of awkwardness at disturbing the two of them. Not that he'd admit that, ever.

Before he could put the Camero in reverse, Scott was walking out onto the porch of his house. Derek sighed and got out of the car and made his way up to the house.

"Is something wrong?" Allison asked as she walked out on to the porch as well, toweling her hair and smelling like lavender shampoo. Derek didn't say anything, just glared at the ground while Scott tilted his head, looking worried.

"Allison, do you mind, uh, giving us a few minutes?" Scott said, finally, moving back into the house. She raised an eyebrow, but gave him a small smile and kissed him on the cheek before saying she was going to get going anyways.

"I can see this is some super secret alpha business. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, nodding to Derek as she ran a bush through her hair quickly and grabbed her bag to leave.

Once she left, Scott sat on his bed and Derek stood nearby, crossing his arms and staring back at Scott. Scott sighed and asked him what was up. "You've been more broody than normal lately, Derek. And I can tell you're wolf is always too close to the surface. Just spill it ok?"

Derek wasn't sure what to say. He uncrossed his arms and finally sat down on the chair by Scott's desk. "It's… about Stiles."

"Ok… what about Stiles?"

"He's hiding something."

Scott looked confused. "Hiding something?"

"Yes, hiding something from the pack!"

Scott studied him for a moment before a knowing look spread across his face. "Hiding something from the pack, or from you?" Derek kept a straight face very well, but Scott caught onto the subtle change in Derek. "Is that why you've been snapping at him so much? Looking like you're going to strangle him at pack meets?"

Derek wanted to say no, of course not, but he knew he couldn't get away with lying to the other alpha. The way Scott had developed into a true alpha had drastically changed their relationship. It dawned on him months ago, the last time they had a real falling out, that even after finishing off Peter and gaining alpha powers, he just didn't have it in him to gain alpha status. Being an alpha of a pack, especially one not born from the same family, took an understanding of others that would always allude Derek. Once he came to this realization and finally understood that being alpha in that sense wasn't even what he wanted, he had felt at peace. He had knowledge and experience that Scott didn't so Scott, and the pack, still needed him and even respected what he had to say and the wolf in him was actually content with that. Maybe he just had a more beta nature than he knew.

"Look," Scott started, breaking into Derek's thoughts, "Stiles is nearly physically incapable of keeping secrets. Trust me. Have you tried talking to him?"

Derek frowned. "Yes. It didn't end well."

"What did you do?" Scott said, his eyes flashing red.

Derek grudgingly told Scott about the earlier conversation. Scott leaned back on his bed, looking to the ceiling before muttering about teaching Derek people skills. "Ok, this is what you're going to do. You're going to apologize. And mean it. You're going to then tell him what's really bothering you. Maybe then you two can stop sidestepping the issue and just go with it. I'm pretty sure you'll find Stiles isn't keeping any secrets, you're just too thick headed to take a hint." Scott looked back at Derek meaningfully.

"Wait… what?" Derek felt like he'd missed something, like there was jump in the conversation.

"C'mon Derek. Do I have to sick Lydia on the two of you? Because I will. And I guarantee that'll be the worst, most awkward way to go about this. She's merciless."

Derek's eyebrows went up with confusion and then it clicked. "You think Stiles has feelings for me."

Scott rolled his eyes. "He's not the only one with feelings. It's ok to feel things Derek, you maybe an asshole and a total creeper but you're not a horrible person. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

Derek went to stand up, sat down, and then shot back up. He was embarrassed but mostly angry because he'd come to Scott with a legitimate concern for the well being of the pack and he felt like he was being mocked for it. Not that he thought Stiles was a laughing matter. That's not what he meant. Despite what some people may think, Derek wasn't some tortured soul unwilling to be happy or in-tuned with how he felt. He'd come to terms with a great deal of his emotional baggage and right now he was incredibly pissed that his friend, his alpha, hadn't even acknowledge it. His pack treated him like he was almost delicate, like someone to be weary of and he hated that. The only who didn't, the one who constantly bothered him, grated his nerves and came to check on him after a fight was holding something back from him and it pissed him off.

Derek hardly felt his claws dig into his own palms, didn't notice the growl coming from his chest until another growl was answering and Scott was gripping his shoulders…

"Derek," Scott's voice cut through the anger like a knife through butter. Derek came back to himself with such force it was almost dizzying. He wanted to shove Scott away because he was still pissed, but he didn't move. After a long moment, Scott let go and it felt like the floor had slipped out from beneath him, but he held steady.

"How long has this been a problem?" Scott asked, his eyes fading to brown. Derek looked down at his already healed palms. "Derek. How long have you been unable to anchor yourself?"

"Since…" Derek thought hard, "since the strange scent in the woods."

"I thought that turned out to be nothing?"

"No, it's definitely something. Something to do with Stiles." Scott looked confused, but before either of them could say anything, both picked up the scent of vomit, cheap whiskey, and then unmistakable voice from outside by the front door.

* * *

Stiles almost fell over when Scott opened the door he was propped against. He was waving at the tree line and then oops no door! and looked at Scott incredulously when he caught him from falling.

"Scott! Hey, what's up man?"

"Stiles…" Stiles held up his hand like he was in class. "What?"

"Permission to come aboard oh mighty Alpha!" and then Stiles threw up on the floor at Scott's feet.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hmmm… nice cool tubb…" Stiles lay down in Scott's bathtub, looking quite content to lay there and take a nap, but Scott was pissed that his best friend had been wondering around drunk, tempting the fates. Also he smelt horrible and Scott decided to rectify the situation by turning on the shower.

When Scott had dragged Stiles upstairs, Derek wasn't in his room anymore, but he knew he was still near by. He chose not to enlighten Stiles to the other alpha's presence.

Scott threw soap at Stiles and sat on the toilet next to the shower as his best friend, now very much awake, jumped up in the shower. Stiles grumbled and shut the curtain, chucking his clothes over the curtain. Scott waited, making sure Stiles didn't fall over or anything.

Cleaner, wearing some borrowed clothes and a bit more sober, Stiles belly flopped onto Scott's bed and Scott sat on the edge. "Stiles."

"Hmm?"

Scott nudge him, making Stiles groan and bury his head into the pillow more. Scott nudged him again, to no avail. Scott finally just huffed and rolled his friend over forcefully. "Explain why you're running around drunk at night," Scott said, his voice even with a hint of concern. Stiles shrugged and closed his eyes. "Does it have something to do with Derek?"

Stiles eye shot open in surprise, "what? how did you know?"

"I'm the alpha, I'm all knowing," Scott tried to keep a serious expression, but Stiles just laughed.

"Dude, you look like a fucking puppy when you try to be all serious," Stiles said before bring his arms up to shield his eyes from the light shining too brightly for him.

"I'm going to ignore that. Stiles, what's the problem here? Last time you got drunk was 'cause of my relationship troubles. So," Scott poked Stiles again in the side, "spill."

Stiles groaned and rolled away. He was getting very sleepy now, crashing hard and fast since emptying his stomach twice, his body trying to get him to sleep off the rest of the whiskey. In this sleepy state things tumbled out he wouldn't even consider saying otherwise. "Derek thinks I'm hiding something from the rest of you guys and I'm really not," he mumbled. Scott was glad he had enhanced hearing, because he wouldn't have heard the quiet voice of his friend otherwise. He wondered if Derek could here him from the hallway.

"Are you going to tell him?" Scott prompted.

"Mmm? Tell 'im what?"

Scott considered what to say next and decided to take advantage of the nearly sleeping Stiles, maybe shock it out of him. He frowned briefly because this almost felt like taking advantage of him in a way, but if it's for his own good, even Derek's own good, does it make it worth it? Allison would chastise him but Lydia would roll her eyes and say get on with it.

"That you like him?" Scott said, a bit of forced nonchalance in his voice.

"Hmmm. Maaaybe. Not that he'd believe me… jerk…" Stiles said groggily.

Scott smiled victoriously, knowing even without the subtle creak from the hallway that Derek had heard. "Ok, roll over onto your stomach. You're not choking on your own barf." Scott rolled Stiles over and thought he was finally asleep, but then Stiles gripped Scott weakly when Scott went to get up. Scott rolled his eyes and plopped down next to his best friend and if there was any spooning going on no one would ever know, except the creeper in the hallway, who was leaving anyway.


	11. Chapter 11

Scott dropped Stiles off on his way to Allison's house, saying something about being interrupted last night. Stiles only nodded weakly, staggering out of Melissa's car and trying to keep the light out of his eyes as he walked to his front door and Scott drove off. It wasn't until he dropped his keys and looked down to see the dead cat.

"Jesus Christ!" Stile jumped back, forgetting his keys and hangover. The cat was a neighborhood regular Stiles saw all the time and had no idea who it belonged to. That is, he was pretty sure, but it has hard to tell because there wasn't much left of the poor thing. Stiles covered his mouth to stifle a gag. After a moment he backed away slowly and walked to the garage, looking for a shovel. He certainly didn't want to leave it there for his dad to find when he came home from the nightshift in an hour.

* * *

"Stiles?"

"What?" Stiles paused, about to follow Lydia out of Derek's loft. The pack meeting was coming to an end, and everyone was filing out.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Derek asked. Actually asked instead of making a commanding statement, Derek's usual mode of interaction. Lydia heard it too, because Stiles saw her perfectly done eyebrows arch as she smirked knowingly. Stiles didn't like that look, it scared him more than the hesitation in Derek's voice.

"Uh. Sure." Lydia waved and shut the door behind her, leaving the two of them alone. Stiles turned around, looking at Derek wearily across the room.

Derek was leaning against the island between the kitchen and living room area of the open loft, not making eye contact. Stiles waited and lost patience with the quiet because when can Stiles ever have it quiet, and he finally said; "You know, as much as I wouldn't like to know what's going on behind those eyebrows, please enlighten me."

Derek smirked and it threw Stiles off. Usually that sort of thing just made Derek glare at him. "I'm sorry," Derek said, finally making eye contact.

"What?"

"I'm sorry about last night. I was out of hand and shouldn't have accused you of holding out on the pack. In your own infuriating way you've always acted in everyone's best interest. So I'm sorry."

Stiles ran a hand through his hair nervously, not looking at Derek. "Is this the Big Bad I'm talking to or a pod person version?"

"I thought I said stop calling me that," Derek said, frowning.

Stiles snorted and then started to laugh, and laugh while Derek stared at him with concern. "No, dude. It's ok. It's ok. It's not really your fault or anything. It's just weird to hear that much out of you without growling and threats."

"Don't get used to it," Derek said, smiling. Holy crap, Derek was smiling. It was the weirdest thing ever, Stiles decided, and it was doing odd things to his chest. Or was it his stomach? Stiles mind started racing and he fidgeted.

"Ha, yeah. So, um, anything else?" Stiles asked, looking anywhere but at Derek.

Derek shook his head and watched with hidden amusement as Stiles flung open the door to his loft and left and smirked when he heard Stiles trip on the stairs on his way out.

* * *

"You may go now, Stilinski," Mr. Harris said, not bothering to look up as Stiles jumped out of the chair and practically ran out of detention. Once down the hall he slowed down and looked at the detention slip in his hands. He wasn't looking forward to getting it signed when his dad got home that night, so he found himself lingering on his way towards the school exit.

As he walked past the gym, he heard music and stopped. Curious, he pushed open the heavy double doors and made his way through the gym, looking for the source. He peeked through the window in the door to the weight room and smiled when he recognized the person inside.

"Hey Ana!" Stiles called over the classical music playing from a speaker hooked up to Ana's phone. She was facing the wall of mirrors on the far side of the room, wearing close fitting black tank top and some yoga pants.

"Hey, you're looking better. How was the hangover?" Ana asked over her shoulder.

Stiles shrugged, embarrassed. Hoping to change the subject he asked what she was doing. "Brushing up on a few positions. Aunt Sonya wants me in top form when the studio opens next month." She let go of the bar she was gripping and gracefully brought her arms over her head before gracefully bringing them back down.

Stiles tilted his head, "studio?"

"Yeah. Aunt Sonya is opening a dance studio soon. She teaches ballet and she wants to show me off like a prized cow at market," Ana rolled her eyes.

"Wow, I didn't know you did ballet!"

"Mm-hmm!" Ana continued a basic routine and Stiles watched for a few minutes, just listening to the calming music.

"Hey… did becoming a werewolf make it easier to do that?" Stiles asked as Ana bent in a way that made Stiles wince.

Ana looked at him, considering as she stood up. "Easier? No… why?"

"I mean, when Scott got bit he got instantly good at Lacrosse."

Ana looked thoughtful before shrugging. "I did ballet before getting… bit. Now that I think about it… it was a lot harder after that for awhile. Imagine trying to get a wolf to dance." Stiles snickered and regretted it until he realized that it was indeed meant as a joke. "Some things became slightly less painful to do, like this," Ana said. She let her arms relax at her side, then as she drew them up over her head, Stiles saw her ribs pull in and she stretched up on to her toes. "Pulling up to en pointe hurts like a mother even for the pros, but its nice that when my toes crack they heal instantly." She lowered down to first position and took a slight step forward, away from the wall, and pulled up and did a series of pirouettes that left Stiles dizzy. "But that," she said after stopping, "is all practice and discipline."

"Dude," Stiles managed, thoroughly impressed. "I'm just getting off detention. Want a ride home?" Ana shook her head, said she needed to keep practicing. She reminded him, offhand, that there was an essay due on Wednesday and Stiles grumbled a goodbye and left.

* * *

_Stiles could feel his heartbeat slowing, the pain getting duller as his body started to go limp. He tried to open his eyes, but it was much easier to keep them shut. "Stiles…" a voice whispered at his side and he wanted to respond, but just coughed and shuddered when he tasted his own blood. "Shh, S-Stiles… stay with me ok? Please… please…" he barely felt the hand on his shoulder but found himself somehow leaning into it as he felt lighter and lighter…_


	12. Chapter 12

_There's a black dog _

_Beneath my skin_

Luckily his dad's cruiser wasn't in the driveway when Stiles got home. Stiles went inside and grabbed a snack from the kitchen and found a note explaining his dad's absence. He was just getting groceries and would be home soon. Stiles sighed, the inevitable wouldn't be delayed that long. He left the detention slip beneath the note.

Stiles went upstairs to his room, dragging his backpack behind him. He wondered absently if a certain Sour Wolf would be waiting for him and actually smiled at the thought, and walked into his room and gagged at the smell that greeted him.

The dead cat from two days ago lay in a dirty pile in the middle of his floor. Stiles gawked, and covered his mouth and nose trying to get away from the smell of mud and decay.

"You didn't like my present," a voice cooed from just behind him. Stiles spun around and staggered back. The woman behind him wore a petulant expression as Stiles backed away and nearly stepped on the corpse in the middle of his room. She giggled as he looked between the cat and her. "Aw, but you're such a little cutie pie so I'll forgive you."

Stiles recovered and eyed the strange woman wearily. She looked older than Derek, but not by much. She had long, wild black hair and pale skin, and her clothes were worn and torn. Dirt clung to her hands, and Stiles swallowed and tried to calm his mind. She tilted her head and smiled sweetly; "what's the matter sweetie? Cat got your tongue?" She brought a dirty hand to her mouth and giggled at her own lame joke.

"Who are you?" Stiles asked, surprised at the evenness of his own voice.

"Well that's disappointing. No fun quip? No sarcasm Stiles? Just 'who are you?'" she said, mocking his voice.

"Fresh out."

"Hm, well that's too bad. Also, besides the point. You don't need to know that just yet. But let's have a little chat yeah?" She crossed the room swiftly, grabbed Stiles' wrist and yanked him to his bed where he found himself sitting next to her before he could even process the movement. "There, that's better. Now, Stiles, I'm looking for someone."

"Oh, yeah?" he gasped out when he felt her squeeze his wrist.

"Yup! I'm looking for a mutual acquaintance. She's about this tall, a bit on the stocky side, and she is pretty shy."

"Huh, don't know who you mean," Stiles said. He felt something pop in his wrist and tried to keep from showing it.

"Don't lie to me Stiles," she growled, "it tests my patience." She leaned in and even with Stiles' regular ol' human nose he could smell the reek of decay clinging to her. She sniffed him and he saw her eyes flash red. "You see, I'm looking for my naughty little beta. She thinks she's being so very clever at hiding from me, covering herself up with magic tricks. But I know she's around here somewhere, and I know she's been sneaking around with you. So here's the deal," she lowered her voice and whispered in his ear and Stiles fought to keep his heart steady, not to show any fear. "You're gonna tell me where she is. And if you don't, I'm gonna start leaving more lovely presents for you. I'll find all your furry friends you play pack with and leave their corpses on your doorstep. And that hot piece of ass, Derek, that you've got your eye on," Stiles heart skipped involuntarily and he felt the woman's sneer, "I'm gonna save him for last."

Stiles gritted his teeth. The woman pulled away slightly, a smile dancing on her lips. "Aw, I can see that mind of yours just a racing. Don't worry, honey. If you give me what I want, I'll take my misbehaved beta with me and leave town. I promise even!" She help up the hand not holding him like a vice and stuck out her pinkie. "See, pinkie swear! And you can go back to playing with the other puppies and their adorable alpha. I'll even be super generous and give you some time to think on it." She let go of his hand and stood up, stretching. She moved in front of him where he sat on the edge of his bed and grabbed his chin, gently this time. "Twelve hours to deliver honey. And if you try any funny business," Stiles felt the claws prick his skin as she lifted his chin to look him in the eye, "all bets are off. I'll start leaving little prezzies for you, starting with your handsome dad."

Stiles glared up at her, defiant and silent. "Oh that's a good look on you. Makes me wonder why your alphas keep you human. You'd make an absolutely _wonderful_ wolf. Positively delectable. I can tell you're not the good little boy everyone thinks you are." She leaned down, her face a breath away but Stiles held fast, determined not flinch. "Maybe that's what they're afraid of," she giggled and gave him a love tap on the cheek before pulling away. Stiles heard his dad come in downstairs and let his eyes dart in that direction, and when he looked back, the woman was gone.

* * *

Stiles chucked his phone to the passenger seat angrily. "Fuck!" No one was answering his calls or texts. He floored the gas pedal as the light turned green. He knew this was horribly reckless and dangerous, but he had to warn Ana. It all made sense now. Of course she was hiding from the alpha that bit her! Holy fuck she had to be more bat shit crazy than Peter. Stiles was breathing heavily. He slammed to a stop at the next stop light and tried to calm down, tried to think! But there was no time. He drove towards the school, hoping Ana was still there and he could get to her before she walked home.


	13. Chapter 13

"Ana!" Stiles burst through the doors to the school, running in the direction of the gym. He rounded a corner and nearly plowed into her, startling her. "Oh thank God," he bent over, trying to catch his breath.

"Stiles, what are you doing?" Ana asked him as she pulled out her ear buds.

"Yeah, Stiles, what are you doing?"

Stiles didn't need to look up to see Ana instantly tense. He felt his own gut drop and he stood up, swallowing hard at the look of sheer terror on Ana's face. Ana took a step back, looking over Stiles shoulder. "How?" she whispered.

The woman who smelt like death was leaning against the lockers, smiling. "I have to admit, you had me going. I mean, the false scent trails were a good idea in theory, but not really in practice. And the magic," the woman pointed to the bracelet around Ana's wrist, "that was a fancy trick. Might've even worked! But luckily even your shy little self can't resist interacting with people altogether. This little cutie pie," she motioned to Stiles as she pushed off the lockers, sauntering in their direction, "he lead me right to you. I admit this part was too easy."

Ana glanced at Stiles, and the look on her face cut through him. "Oh don't get the wrong idea, Ana. He didn't mean to, I'm sure. But this works out rather well. We have someone to play with!" The woman clapped her hands together gleefully, the sound making Ana jump.

When Stiles glanced over to her, she was shaking her head, and she stood up straight. "No," she said quietly.

The woman stopped, tilted her head to one side. "Even now you're going to be difficult?" Ana growled back, stepping forward and pushing in front of Stiles. The woman grinned, all fangs and red eyes. "Good."

"Stiles," Ana lisped over her extending fangs, "I need you to run."

"But!"

"Please." She lowered her voice, but didn't take her eyes off the mad alpha, "run and don't look back." She slipped the bracelet off her wrist and forced it into his own hand. "Whatever you do don't drop this. It should obscure your scent at least." Before Stiles could protest, he heard the cracking of bones and saw the monstrous black wolf launch in their direction. Stiles ran and tried hard to not look back when he heard a loud crash.

* * *

"Ana, Ana, Ana," the woman tsked as she lifted the short girl by her throat and slammed her against the metal lockers. "It really doesn't have to be difficult." Ana glared her with glowing eyes and pulled up her legs up and kicked out, hard, into the alpha's sides. The alpha rolled her eyes and without effort, slammed her down onto the ground. A sick crack echoed down the hall and Ana cried out as her wolf slipped away.

"You know, I thought when I finished off that pesky brother of yours we could avoid this. I mean, I find it very mysterious but also highly annoying. Why won't you just be a good little beta? One little kill. That's all I ask. Finalize the pack bond and be done with it. Hell, I might even leave you be afterwards." Ana's claws sunk into the woman's arm still clutching her throat. "On second thought, that's also unlikely. Now let's get this over with."

* * *

When Stiles heard the alpha roar he sunk down to the ground in the chem lab. If someone ever asked him, he'd easily admit that when he heard Scott or Derek do it it made him cringe, but it also made him feel strangely reassured. But this wasn't his alpha and when he heard the echoing, underlying scream that had to be Ana he closed his eyes and hoped one of his pack had heard it.

* * *

"_Scott! He's here!" Stiles heard a familiar voice far away. Scott. Scott was here. The thought stirred him. He felt gentle hands move him and pain slammed back into him. He felt his lungs give out with the force of it. A growl sounded next to him, and the hands let go, but the pain continued and he just couldn't take it anymore. _

"_Fuck, Stiles, don't you dare!"_

"_He's dying!"_

"_The ambulance is coming!"_

"_We don't have time!"_

_The voices were fading and it made Stiles sad. He didn't like that they were fading._

"_I'll do it."_

_A tense pause. "No. I'll do it. You two have enough issues." And then there was a pressure, a burning sensation, and a blinding new pain._


	14. Chapter 14

_Stiles sighed, poking at his gut as if checking if it was really there. He glanced over to Ana, sitting on the other stainless steel table top in the vet clinic. She was looking down at the floor, hunched over and seemingly trying to disappear. "Ana… what happened?"_

_She looked up, startled and winced. "You don't remember?"_

_He shut his eyes to the too bright light and shook his head. _

_She let out a shaky breath. "You had a plan and it got you killed."_

* * *

The alpha's eyes flashed red and she clapped with glee when she saw her beta dragging the unconscious and bloodied boy down the hall. "Oh? You brought me a present this time! See, was that so hard?"

The girl said nothing and stopped just short of the woman. "Good pup!" The woman giggled as went to pat Ana on the head condescendingly- Ana grabbed her wrist and Stiles kicked out, throwing the woman off balance. As Stiles ducked out of the way, Ana went low, flipping the alpha over her back with a snarl. Stiles scrambled for the self-igniting molotov he'd planted minutes before in a classroom doorway and shouted to Ana to move. The girl leapt back and before the alpha got up, Stiles threw the flask of commandeered lab chemicals…

The alpha shrieked as the cocktail burst into flame. The sound made both Ana and Stiles flinch, and Stiles closed his eyes to the sudden burst of light caused by the fire.

"Stiles!" he heard Ana scream. Stiles opened his eyes in time to see the alpha leap for him, a black wolf wreathed in flames, and plunge a clawed hand into his gut and _pull._

* * *

The scent of burnt flesh assaulted Derek as he and Scott burst into the school. The rest of the pack was close behind, but when the two alphas had heard the howl of an unknown wolf, they had rocketed ahead. Derek glanced to Scott and saw the younger man cover his nose to the stench.

It was Lydia who found Stiles and the girl. The rest of the pack rushed over and soon everyone talking too quickly and crowding around. Derek felt light headed for a moment, the burn marks and smell of acid radiating from the scene made him feel disconnected from what he saw before him. He watched as Lydia ripped Jackson's shirt and went to move Stiles away from where he was leaning against the girl (_the other wolf, Derek finally grasped_) who growled low. Scott snarled in response, and a low whine escaped the girl and she let go of Stiles' arm.

Derek snapped back to reality when Allison choked out "he's dying!" Derek stepped forward and went to his knees beside Scott. "I'll do it," Derek said, his voice cutting through the cacophony.

Scott shook his head and Derek saw the tears streaming from red eyes. "No. I'll do it. You two have enough issues." Derek nodded in understanding and stood up. He turned to the rest of the terrified faces and barked out orders. When some of them hesitated, he wolfed out and snapped, and the pack ran into action. Derek then turned his attention to the girl, the wolf he'd been unable to track, who was covered in Stiles' blood.

She was battered, and he realized that her wounds weren't healing. She was looking up at him warily, her breath coming in labored gasps. She didn't move to run or even stop the bleeding from a deep gash along her ribs. Her breathing was slowing, becoming more labored and he saw her eyes start to cloud over...

Liam and Issac came rushing back, saying they'd brought Stiles' jeep around as close as they could. "Good. Take her and put her in the back," he said. They nodded and scooped up Ana's unconscious form carefully. Scott stood up and wiped his best friend's blood from his mouth.

"Can you? I- I don't think I can-" Scott asked. Derek nodded and after carefully picking up Stiles, followed Scott out of the dark school.

* * *

Ana's eyes flew open and she bolted upright as Deaton shut the door behind him. The sudden movement shifted one of her still broken ribs and reopened the wound along her side and she cried out.

"Relax, Ms. Kaizer. You're safe. My name is Dr. Deaton and you're at the vet clinic. You've suffered some severe trauma, please hold still."

"S-Stiles?" she gritted out.

"He's also safe. I need you to remain calm and hold still so I can treat your injuries-"

"Not yet," Derek interrupted from the corner. Deaton frowned. Ana froze, her body stiff.

"Derek, I was under the impression that I could treat-"

"Not. Yet."

Deaton leveled his gaze as Derek moved toward the table where Ana sat. Deaton glanced at the shivering girl and said he would be back with some salves and gauze.

Derek positioned himself in front of Ana, his face a nearly expressionless mask. She was looking at the floor, her hands gripping the edge of the table. He could tell he didn't have long before she would pass out again. Even after losing consciousness for half an hour he wounds weren't healing.

"Those are alpha inflicted wounds," he said after a long moment. Ana tensed, but nodded. "You've been hiding in our territory without our knowledge or permission." Another nod, her head hanging low as she continued to look down. "An alpha, your alpha, followed you here. You put this town, our pack, particularly Stiles in danger. You attempted to kill him for your alpha." Derek watched Ana carefully, smelling the fear and anger rolling off her. He let his voice drop low, "why didn't you finish the kill? Why didn't you cement the bond with your alpha?"

Ana met Derek's eyes and snarled, her eyes burning gold. "Just because a monster bit me doesn't mean I have to become one too. She took everything from me! She caused my parents' death and murdered my brother when I refused to kill for her! _She is not my alpha_. I refuse to be her _pack_ so she can ruin more lives," she was shouting, and she didn't care. "I know what she wants and why she wants it. The more in a pack the more powerful the alpha. I know that I can't ward her off forever and I know she can fuck with my mind. She killed Josh because he kept me human. I had to get away from her-" her voice cracked and she felt the tears sting in her eyes. Ana felt her body shuddering, felt it trying to heal but burning from the wounds inflicted by the _thing_ that would always find her. She was barely aware of Derek watching her like he was looking for something.

"I'm sorry," Ana said. "I'm sorry. I tried to stay out of the way, honestly. I tried to push Stiles away. He figured me out and I tried to keep him away… told him to go back to his friends but…"

"He's stubborn." Ana jumped at Derek's quiet voice. "Your wounds aren't healing because you took more pain from Stiles than a beta should even try."

"He's… he's going to be ok, right?" Ana asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"He'll live. I don't know if he'll be ok. Scott's bite took and he's healing." Derek took a step forward, closing the distance between the two of them. Ana didn't move. The world was going dark again and she was too exhausted to fight off unconsciousness. She didn't register Derek thanking her for keeping Stiles alive. Derek placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and Ana went limp as he drained away her pain.


	15. Chapter 15

It felt like waking up with an extreme hangover, like it took every ounce of will to drag himself out of an impossibly deep ocean. It was gradual, right until he remembered the clawed hand pulling out his intestines, and then he fought to the surface in a panic.

"Stiles, Stiles it's ok," Scott said as he gripped the very much alive Stiles attempting to sit up.

Stiles stilled and caught his breath. He looked at Scott and then let his gaze fall toward his own gut. He gently laid a hand on the bandages there, above the rusty spot where the blood was dried underneath.

"Stiles…" the sheer worry in Scott's tone made Stiles take a deep breath. Which hurt a bit, but not as bad as it could. Stiles nodded, and with speed that surprised himself and Scott, Stiles grabbed Scott and hugged him tight.

"Thanks," Stiles whispered, his throat scratchy.

Shocked, Scott just stood there for a moment before gripping Stiles with just as much force. A breathy laugh escaped the alpha, "I thought you were gonna hate me."

"No, no man," Stiles finally let him go and leaned back on the table he'd been laid out on. "Fuck, no," Stiles said looking down at his hands and flexing them. "I mean, this wasn't my ideal plan but it's whole shit ton better than being dead."

"Yeah," Scott said, most of the worry and fear melting away for a moment. "I'm gonna be pissed later when I kill you for getting yourself killed, but for now, I'll let it slide."

Stiles barked out a hoarse laugh. He was alive. He was ok. Everything was too bright, too loud, and god the scent of the clinic made his nose burn, but he was alive to feel it. He gasped suddenly, jumping off the table and turning to Scott, "where's Ana?"

* * *

"Ah, Mr. Stilinski. Already up and moving too much. Somehow I'm not surprised," Deaton quipped from where he was checking Ana's now healing injuries.

"Ana?" Stiles nearly pushed Scott out of the way, which made his best friend frown a bit.

"Ms. Kaizer is fine. Her wounds are finally healing and injuries mending. She may be out for a bit longer, however. The alpha inflicted significant damage. Now, if you're quite satisfied, you should take a seat and let your body finish healing."

From the other side of the room Derek watched Stiles ease himself onto a stool. He knew Stiles was alive, had been waiting with Scott and watching as he healed but it was another thing altogether to see him awake. A knot came undone in his chest, but he didn't move or say anything when he saw Stiles look up at him suddenly with a confused expression.

"How much longer until she wakes up?" Scott asked, his voice low.

"Considering she's already woken up once, not all that long. I suggest," Deaton looked Scot right in the eye, "you wait patiently." The vet nodded and left the room.

* * *

The first thing Ana asked for was her phone so she could call her aunt. Scott shook his head. "Not until you explain. Everything."

Ana looked at him incredulously. "I'll be more than willing to, but I need to warn my aunt so she doesn't end up murdered by Marla."

There was a heavy moment and Stiles looked at his friend like he was crazy. "Dude, just let her make the call. I'll help explain. This isn't her fault-"

"You _died_, Stiles. She is responsible and I want to know what happened."

Derek raised an eyebrow. He noted how Ana flinched like she'd been slapped and she seemed to curl in on herself. Stiles gaped at Scott, for once speechless. In the tense silence, Derek pulled out his own phone and tossed it to Ana, who caught it, surprised.

"Call your aunt. I'll send Issac and Jackson to check on her." Ana nodded, quickly dialing the number and keeping her head down. Scott gave Derek a look of disbelief as Ana hurriedly talked with her Aunt Sonya, telling her she was ok and that she should expect two guys to show up to check on her. Derek kept his gaze steady. He wondered, with bitter humor, if this was what it felt like when two parents were trying to discipline their kid but disagreed on how to go about it.

Ana finished and handed the phone back to Derek. He asked for Ana's address and sent it to Issac, with orders to check in. He put his phone away and found Ana glancing at him from the corner of her eye, confused but also thankful.

"Now, spill it," Scott said, his eyes narrow and mistrustful of the girl in front of him.

Ana took a deep, shaky breath and in her quiet voice said; "It all started with a big, black dog running in front of our car."


	16. Chapter 16

_The SUV swerved and skid to a stop, sending a spray of water up in the intersection. "Are you two ok?" the man driving asked as he turned around. The rain pelted down and the windshield wipers flicked it away. Ana nodded, turning to see her mom smile with relief, right before the headlights from the on-coming tractor trailer washed out her mom's face._

"I don't remember the accident. The tractor trailer hit the front of our car mostly, but the impact caused it to completely flip."

_Josh groaned. He felt all the blood rush to his head and it took him a moment to realize he was upside down, still strapped in. He blinked and looked to his side, saw his door blocked by dirt. The sound of something scratching at glass made his head whip around. Ana's limp form was leaning against the cracked window. He tried to call her name, but it came out as a hoarse croak. The window shattered and before he could react, something was tugging his sister away._

"She broke into the window and dragged me out of the wreck," Ana said, her voice distant, like she was talking about someone else. She rubbed absently at her forearm, and continued. "Bit me and dragged me by my arm. I guess I was easier to get to, the passenger side was against the side of the ditch."

_"No! You have to find her! Something dragged her off!" Josh yelled at the paramedic._

"The first responders found me about three hundred feet off into the woods by the side of the road. Said that it was a miracle to survive being thrown from the vehicle like that. Mom was pronounced dead at the scene. Dad died in the ambulance. Josh had a concussion and broken collar bone. The driver of the tractor trailer said he didn't see our SUV in the intersection, and that he had swerved to avoid hitting some kind of huge animal."

"Josh was smart. He figured it out quick enough, said he saw the thing that bit me wasn't a dog. He saw how fast my fractured ribs healed and how the gash on my head didn't even leave a scar."

_Tears streamed down gold eyes and Josh took her clawed hands in his. "We'll get through this myshka. I'm right here. She closed her eyes and nodded, because she had to believe he was right._

"Three days before the first full moon, we found the neighbor's dog dead on our front steps. I thought I'd done it, but Josh knew I didn't. Over the next few months, there was a string of 'strange animal related deaths'. I had nightmares and sometimes couldn't remember where I was."

_"Myshka, it wasn't you. I watched you the whole night. Remember? We listened to the entire Swan Lake suite. You were fine."_

"I should've listened to him. She was just fucking with me. I guess she got bored though."

_"You are the worse werewolf ever, Ana. What's wrong with you? Why don't you go nuts on the full moon like a good little pup? Marla huffed, glaring at the girl backing away from her. The woman's eyes narrowed. "It's because of that brother of yours isn't it?" she growled._

"It was true. I've never been one to get angry, not really. I guess that makes for a more temperate wolf? I don't know. Whenever I started to freak out, Josh was there. I didn't know how or why but he kept me in line. It pissed her off."

_"Where's Josh?" There were sirens flashing from police cars in front of their house, and Aunt Sonya came rushing up to her._

_"Myshka," her aunt pulled her into a bear hug, sobbing. Over her shoulder Ana could see the lifeless, bloody form of her brother on the front steps._

"When she showed up after the funeral, we were ready."

"_I'm so terribly sorry for your loss, Ana." Marla leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I offered him the bite, you know. That was gonna be my graduation present for you when you finally made your first kill. But he said no. So it's just you and me, myshka." Ana gritted her teeth and flicked the lighter hidden in her hand open._

"We burned her in the house and then buried the body. I thought that would be enough, but just in case, I made a charm to hide me. We moved around every week for four months, making false trails just in case. I thought it'd be enough."

Ana sighed and looked up at Scott, "I'm sorry I dragged this into your territory. I didn't know there was a pack in Beacon Hills. We just… ended up here. When I picked up the scent of two alphas and a whole pack, I thought that if I just kept low that she wouldn't dare to come near this place." She glanced at Stiles, "the charm works mostly to cover up my existence to alphas. That's why they didn't believe you Stiles when you tried telling them about me. Apparently it's not effective when someone plows right into me though."


	17. Chapter 17

"Myshka!" Ana braced herself as her Aunt Sonya burst into the clinic room, nearly knocking Stiles and Scott over. The woman stopped just in time to notice the bandages around her nieces' ribs. "Why didn't you say you are injured?"

"Aunt Sonya…" Ana sighed. Stiles hadn't met the woman checking over Ana and muttering under her breath, but he's seen her from a distance when he'd dropped Ana off once or twice. Up close he admitted that despite the grey hair in a tight bun hinting at the woman's age, there was nothing but strength in the woman's long, bony limbs.

"Come, we're leaving. If the bitch is here, we are not." The tall lady wrapped her arm protectively around Ana's shoulders and nearly pushed her off the clinic table. Stiles gaped, trying to process the situation.

"You can't go Ana, she could still be out there!" Stiles jumped out of his chair, blocking the door.

Sonya glared down at Stiles like her was a bug. "The is the point. We're leaving."

"But!"

"Stiles," Scott shook his head at his friend. He turned and gave Ana a sympathetic, but cold look, "I'm sorry about your family. Isaac and Jackson will keep an eye out for you, but you should leave town."

Ana stood up straight and eyed Scott, then nodded curtly.

"Scott?! How can you just-" Stiles started but was cut off by Scott's glare.

"She brought in a crazy alpha and is putting our pack, our town at risk. I can't have that Stiles."

"The fuck!" Stiles shouted, feeling like he'd been backhanded.

"Stiles, it's ok. He's right. We'll leave. Hopefully Marla will leave you guys alone," Ana said, managing a reassuring smile.

Aunt Sonya's gaze became skeptical of the boy standing in her way. "We burned her once. We will do it again. We will manage."

"Stiles, c'mon, let them go," Scott said, his tone more gentle. He reached out to tug Stiles out of the way, but stopped when Stiles snarled at him.

"No! This is stupid! It's not her fault!" Stiles grated out, his pulse accelerating. He saw Scott's eye go wide and sad, but it just made him angrier. Stiles knew he had to calm down, that he had to keep control but he was utterly unprepared for the force of his wolf waking for the first time. It was like trying to swim to the surface with weights tied to his ankles.

Stiles didn't notice Sonya trying to get between him and Ana and Ana not having any of it. "Stiles. He's just looking out for you, for everyone. He's right."

"Bullshit!"

"I know it doesn't seem like it right now. I know it hurts right now, but you need to pull through," her voice was soft and low. "I'll be ok. I need you to be too." Ana glanced over to where Derek was rooted on the other side of the room, briefly making eye contact.

Why did everyone treat him like he was delicate? Breakable? Why did they always disregard what he said and doubt him? He could see Scott looking at him with open gilt and then glare at Ana who was saying something to Stiles but he couldn't get the words. This wasn't her fault and why was Scott pushing her away?

When Stiles actually growled and his fangs dropped, it was like someone flipped a switch. Derek was suddenly there, hands on both of Stiles' shoulders.

"Stiles, breathe."

Dimly, Stiles heard Scott's cell go off, heard him answer. Distantly he heard the tall, angry Russian lady head for the door. It was like everything was so far away, except Derek. Derek was solid, real, and so here. He wanted Stiles to come back, and Stiles found he wanted to be back. It was downright surreal.

"Mom?" Scott asked, confused when he heard no response for a moment after picking up.

There was a high pitched giggle in response. "Guess again, little pup." Everyone in the room froze. "You have something I want," the rouge alpha's voice cooed through the phone, "so we're gonna play a game."

"What do you want," Scott asked, his voice low and chilling.

"I want many things, but mostly I want a well behaved beta who actually does what they are told. I want a pack," Marla said, her voice pouring from the cell phone like poisoned honey.

"What are you getting at?" Scott asked, eyeing Ana.

"Eloquence is not one of your strong points is it?"

"Marla…" Ana growled, her face a frightening mask of anger.

"Oh is that Ana? Ana, it's rude to interrupt a conversation. This whoooole situating could've been avoided if you had just done what I say. Now look at all the trouble you're causing? Hm? But believe it or not, it's not always about you. I'm over you. I'll deal with you later."

"What do you want?" Scott snarled.

"I'm really liking this whole 'what do I want' thing. So here it is. I want that cute little troublemaker, Stiles. I want him tied up in a pretty bow and given as a present." Stiles growled and strained against Derek, but it was different from just a moment before. It was Stiles, not the wolf. "Oooh? Is that him? So you did bite him, or was it the other one with the tight little ass? Good. I was worried I actually killed him. That've been a sad waste. So, that's it. Your best friend or your mom. I'll be waiting, right at the edge of town. You have twenty minutes before I slit her throat and let her bleed out nice and slow." There was crackling noise and the she hung up.


	18. Chapter 18

"Get Allison," Derek said over his shoulder to Stiles as he pulled Scott off of Ana. Stiles briefly disappeared into the hallway, nearly tripping as he rushed for Allison waiting in the lobby. She met him halfway, passing him without even asking. She already knew.

It took a good three minutes for Scott to calm down, and the sudden and vicious loss of control shook Stiles. He came back in the room, and helped Ana up from where Scott had thrown her to the ground. Sonya held her niece tightly, whispering to her as Ana bit her lip until it bled.

The rest of the pack who'd been waiting nearby in a perimeter came rushing back. What followed was a chaotic cacophony of snarls, confusion, and shouts and it rang painfully in Stiles' newly sensitive ears. He covered them and closed his eyes briefly trying to drown it out before shouting for everyone to shut the fuck up.

There was a lull, but when Derek wolfed out and practically roared, everyone hushed. "That's enough," Derek said, letting the wolf slip away. He glanced at Scott beside him and up to Allison, and she nodded, pulling Scott closer to her and burying her head into her boyfriends' neck. Derek crossed the room until he was staring down at Ana, who looked lost and like she wanted to melt into the floor.

"You know her best. What is she doing?" he asked her, his voice calm.

Ana's face snapped up, confusion playing across her feature. "Is this Marla serious?" Derek asked again.

Ana took a deep breath, and stood a little straighter, but her voice remained quiet, "she's serious. She's more than capable of doing something like this but-" Ana stopped, struggling with something.

"The crazy bitch is fucking with us," Stiles said, the words slipping out almost without him noticing.

Derek glanced over to Stiles but returned to Ana, who was nodding. "Stiles and I set her on fire back at the school. She's injured. Even she couldn't heal to full strength so fast."

"Right," Stiles stood up, his mind racing ahead of him but he was catching up. "She's injured and alone. She said it herself, she wants a pack. She's in unknown territory, although it's clear she's been watching us for some time but… wait. Scott, where is your mom supposed to be right now?"

Scott was slumped against Allison, looking a bit dazed, but responded that she should be at work.

"Ok, so she'd be at the hospital. Could a burned woman just waltz in and take your mom from the middle of the ER?"

Derek tossed his phone to Scott telling him to call the hospital.

* * *

Melissa took the clipboard from a man with a bloody rag wrapped around his hand while another nurse tore open a fresh pack of gauze.

"Melissa?" someone called from across the hospital lobby.

"Yeah?"

"It's Scott, he seems pretty upset."

Melissa frowned and quickly grabbed the phone from the other nurse, "Scott? What's wrong?"

* * *

Marla watched as Scott and Derek got into the Camero and drove off in the direction of the town border. The rest of the pack left two or three at a time, running off in two groups, heading in the same direction the two alphas were heading in. She grinned. It was almost too easy.

* * *

"So…" Stiles said, hoisting himself on top of the examination next to Ana, "What happened again?"

Ana huffed, "you had a plan and it got you killed."

Stiles sighed and poked at the bandage around his gut. "Sounds about right. Hopefully this turns out better." They were alone for the time being, and a quiet moment passed between them.

"I'm sorry," Ana said, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"I'm sorry about… everything," Ana was concentrating on the floor beneath her dangling feet.

Stiles frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ana, this isn't your fault. If anything, this is my fault. I didn't stop to think, I just led that crazy woman right to you."

Ana shook her head. "I shouldn't have run. I was a coward. I mean, it was so stupid to think I could actually hide forever but-"

"What else could you do? I'd've done the same probably."

"But it has dragged all of these people into my mess. Fuck, you're a werewolf now and that wouldn't have happened if I didn't-"

Stiles laughed, and it made Ana stop mid thought. "Ana, this is stupid. We can keep trying to blame ourselves until we run out of should'ves and could'ves. The werewolf thing? Can I let you in on something? That was gonna happen someday, one way or another."

"What?" Ana asked, her turn to gape at him.

Stiles leaned back, stretching his spine and relieving a stressed spot at the base of his spine. "Yeah. It's not something I really want for myself, but when Scott got bit, somehow I knew it was gonna be my turn eventually. I mean, all the people I hang around with, people that have become family, are all freaking werewolves or something. Except me. I'm the one without the superpowers, always running around trying to save these idiots from themselves or whatever is chasing them this week. I've been doing the only thing I could, playing bait and running off to do some dumb shit that'll likely get me killed so I can keep everyone else alive. And I've been ok with that. I'd die for any of them now. If it keeps them safe it's worth it."

"Is that why you're Batman?" Stiles tilted his head at Ana, and she smiled softly. "The only one without superpowers? Has a complex about saving people and self-sacrificing to a fault?"

He shoved her shoulder gently and declared that he could neither confirm nor deny the accusations. "At least now it'll be harder to die. Also less breakable in general."

"Are your really ok with it?"

"I… don't know. That was scary, earlier. I know Scott was trying to be a good alpha but god it pissed me off. It was like he was completely disregarding what made him an alpha in the first place. It was like a vision of bad, ends-justify-the-means alpha Derek of Christmas past or something."

"Yeah, but I don't blame him. Although he could've redirected his anger a bit," Ana said, wincing.

"He didn't really hurt you did he?"

Ana shook her head. "Just bruised a little I think."

There was a lull in the conversation, and the two sat thinking for what felt like a long time. Eventually though, they both heard commotion outside the clinic that signalled the plan going into action. They glanced at each other and got up to assume their positions.


	19. Chapter 19

The black alpha limped ever so slightly as she walked down the clinic's dark hallway, filling the space with the smell of burnt flesh. The coyote and the blond chick gave her a little more trouble than Marla wanted to admit, but she had eventually flung them both out of the way, but only after one of them had torn several ligaments in her back leg. Not that it mattered, she was close to what she wanted and she would heal later.

She sniffed at a door, and grinned. Marla banged open the door and saw Stiles clumsily climb out a small window and dashed after him, growling and easily crossing the room. Her focus was so singular she didn't hear Ana close the door behind her and close a circle of mountain ash.

Marla leapt through the window, snapping her jaws as she landed on the grass on the otherside. Stiles was standing not ten feet away, a big grin on his face as Derek and Scott stepped around him and he sealed the other half of the mountain ash circle.

* * *

"_It's got to be convincing. She's gotta think she has us cornered and we're doing exactly what she wants us to," Stiles said, pacing a little in the confides of the examination room._

"_And what is that?" Jackson asked, doubt across his features._

"_Shut it, Jackson," Derek said, not looking at the other boy. He was watching Stiles, nodding for him to continue._

"_Crazy bitch is bluffing. She must've stole Melissa's cell but she wasn't able to do anything else. She's counting on Scott losing his shit, not willing to give up either his mom or me. So we gotta let her believe just that. _

_When Stiles finished hashing out his plan Scott frowned. "I don't like it Stiles."_

_Stiles sighed and was about to launch into an abbreviated version of his usual 'c'mon Scott just trust me this'll work' but was cut off by Derek agreeing with the plan and barking out for everyone to go into action. Stiles felt lighter, almost giddy. Derek turned to Erica and Malia, telling them to not make it too easy for Marla, but to let her through. Derek and Scott would finish her off. No unnecessary risks. A cornered, injured beast is still dangerous. The two girls nodded their understanding._

* * *

"You have two choices. You can leave and never come back or we can tear you apart," Scott said evenly. It was relieving to see him back in control, Stiles thought, watching the big black wolf back into the side of the building.

Marla's eyes burned like embers and the sound she made left Stiles shuddering. She sprung in his direction, but never made it past Derek. Ana came around the other side of the building, cringing at the site of three alphas fighting. It didn't last long, Marla got in a few hits but it was clear her adrenaline rush was running out. She made a mad dash for the edge of the barrier, but Derek caught her and slammed her down with enough force to force her human shape to come through.

Pinned to the ground, Marla looked up and grinned at Ana standing over her, just outside the barrier. "Well, myshka, are you just gonna stand there?" Marla gasped and choked up black bile before Derek tightened his grip. "C'mon, Ana. You know you want to finish me off. Avenge that family of yours right?" The high pitch sound that escaped Marla might've been a laugh but it was weak.

Derek glanced up at Ana, raising an eyebrow. Ana's eyes glowed gold and her fangs dropped for a moment, but then her eyes returned to their human blue. "I'm over you Marla. I want nothing to do with you."

"Weak even at the end? Ha, pathetic!" Marla struggled feebly but Stiles could smell the wash of fear rolling off the woman. Derek lifted the woman just enough to grip her head and twist, cutting off Marla's mad shrieking.

* * *

Derek and Scott tore Marla's body in half and took it out to some abandoned corner of the preserve. Ana went home with Stiles, declining to go with the two alphas. "I meant it. I'm over her," was all she said, her voice heavy. Aunt Sonya, however, insisted on coming with them.

She watched as the two halves of the body were burned to ash and bones shattered. Derek and Scott buried them in two separate graves. They weren't taking any chances. When they were done, Sonya stepped forward, glaring down at the compacted earth.

"Because of you I had to bury my little brother, my sister-in-law, and my nephew. Because of you I almost lost my dear niece, you broke her young life." Sonya looked up, addressing both of the young men before her. "She will never walk this Earth, no?" Derek shook his head and Scott nodded in agreement. Sonya looked down at the filled hole and muttered something in Russian and spat on the grave.


	20. Chapter 20

Stiles couldn't help but snort as Ana flipped Jackson for the third time. It was three days before the full moon and the pack was standing in a casual circle in a clearing in the preserve. Scott had invited Ana to come after getting over himself and apologising. Ana had assured him there wasn't anything to apologise for, blushing profusely. Scott had smiled and said then there was no reason for Ana not to come.

"What are you a freaking squirrel?" Jackson spat at Ana when she had jumped up into a tree to avoid his grasp.

"And what are you, a bull or a wolf?" she called from the low branch she was crouched on.

Derek snorted, smiling ever so slightly. He had a feeling she would be a good match for the stubborn asshole and could teach the boy a lesson on strategic use of force. Not that he would enlighten the guy growling at the base of the tree. It was much more entertaining to let him figure it out on his own, eventually.

"That's enough," Scott called, keeping his face even as possible but it was clear that he found it funny too.

* * *

"C'mon Ana, really. I promise they'll be nice," Stiles said, tugging on her as they entered the cafeteria.

"But, I caused so much trouble, um, I mean isn't it a bit soon?" She was sputtering.

"Ugh, if people can get over Sour Wolf they can get over anything." Stiles said as he parked the girl on the bench next to Allison, who smiled. It still took almost a week for Ana to say anything to anyone but Stiles, but by the second day she was sitting with them at lunch on her own accord.

On day six Ana pulled out a huge tupperware container from her backpack when everyone was at lunch and pushed it out into the middle of the table. Lydia and Jackson looked up when Ana said her Aunt Sonya had forced her to bring in left over borsch for everyone. "You, um, don't need to eat it or anything but she wouldn't let me out of the house without it…" It smelt amazing and Stiles eagerly pulled it to himself and started eating with gusto before Scott grinned and took it from him and Allison stole some while the two growled at each other playfully.

* * *

"Are you sure this isn't a bit… much?" Ana asked, shifting from one foot to the other in front of the mirror in Lydia's room.

Lydia inspected her work with a critical eye, taking in the short girl's new outfit. Allison and Erica assured her she looked cute in the skirt and form fitting tank top and jean jacket cut off above the waist.

"It's just so breezy." Ana said, picking at the skirt.

"Says the ballerina," Malia scoffed, a little bored.

"Well when I'm dancing I at least have something covering my legs," Ana muttered.

Lydia spoke up finally, "you said you wanted to look good when you ask Janice out, well you look good. You're not doubting my choices are you?"

Ana bit her lip, turning to look at herself in profile. Allison rolled off Lydia's bed and went to Lydia's closet, producing a pair of simple black leggings and handing them to Ana. She held onto them, looking at Lydia, who appeared to be considering before nodding. A fair enough compromise.

* * *

"Can you get me a coke?" Stiles asked from the living room floor. He was sprawled out in front of the flatscreen, a place he apparently coveted on movie nights. A pillow was thrown at him followed by Erica shushing him. Ana nodded as she left the living room.

Ana waved to Ms McCall as the nurse left for her shift and crossed the hall to the kitchen. Ana liked Scott's mom, even though she was taken aback when she was introduced. "Oh, hi. You're one of Scott's friends right?" she asked as Stiles made his way through the front door. Ana shrugged, unsure of what to say. "Are you one of the wolfy ones or are you normal?" Taken by surprise Ana had laughed and covered her mouth to stifle it too late. Melissa smiled, "Great, another one."

Inside the kitchen she found Derek lurking, checking something on his phone (or pretending to anyway). Ana tilted her head but shrugged a little before making her way to the fridge. After a moment, she closed the door, frowning because there wasn't any coke or juice like she'd thought there would be.

"Ana." She jumped when Derek said her name. He reached into the pantry and tossed her a coke. She caught it easily and thanked him, making to leave. "Why didn't you do it?" Derek asked, causing Ana to stop.

"Do what?"

"Kill the alpha, Marla."

Ana blinked rapidly, caught off guard. "You could've done it. You could've gotten vengeance and alpha powers. It was well within your rights to." He watched her carefully, genuinely curious.

Ana appeared to be thinking, it was the exact opposite of Stiles' outpouring of words. Not that Derek minded that much anymore, most of the pack tended to say more than really necessary so he was getting used to it.

"I didn't want revenge or vengeance or any of that. I was angry at what she did, angry that my parents and brother were murdered and I miss them so much but… it was all because she wanted the power a pack would give her. She wanted me to be a monster and I think that killing her would've been her last way to fuck with me. I didn't need or want any power from her in any way, not from being in a pack with her or taking her life." Ana's voice was soft as she continued, "killing her would've have brought anyone back."

She looked up, as if suddenly remembering or realizing something, "not that I'm not… grateful that she's finally gone. I mean, not for my sake, but because she's not going to ruin anyone else's lives." She looked torn and bit her lip.

Derek pushed off where he'd been leaning on the counter and grabbed two cups from the cupboard and filling them with ice from the freezer. He took the can of coke from Ana and split it between the two cups. He handed her one and nodded, and headed to the living room, a confused Ana following.

"Finally! Awesome!" Stiles reached out for the coke as Ana walked over, but stopped when Derek ordered him to go get his own. Derek also glared at Jackson until he slid from the spot on the couch to the floor. Derek sat on the arm of the couch, tilting his head slightly at the vacant spot for Ana to sit as he took a sip of his coke. Stiles grumbled and got up, muttering as Ana giggled and shrugged by way of apology.

* * *

"Focus Stiles!" Derek said as Boyd once again slammed him to the forest floor. Stiles groaned but accepting Boyd's help up.

"Easy for you to say," Stiles grumbled under his breath. He wanted to go back to watching Ana dance circles around Jackson, but Scott had decided it was his turn to 'train'. Even this close to his first full moon Stiles still couldn't seem to get his body to do what he wanted. He'd try to keep up with Boyd as his fellow packmate attacked, and while his new senses kept up, Stiles' reaction time was too slow.

He heard Jackson scoffing and Lydia smacking him. Saw Erica grinning as her boyfriend knocked him on his ass again. Scott looked worried, but optimistic. If Stiles was reading Derek's eyebrows correctly, he was either agitated or disappointed or possibly constipated. Not that he cared what Derek thought. Nope, not at all. He gritted his teeth and nodded to Boyd, who launched at him again.

Stiles managed to feint to the right and get a hit in, but moments later found himself thrown against a tree. This was getting real old real fast. It seemed lycanthropy didn't cure ADHD, just made his racing thoughts and twitchy body even more disconnected.

"Um. Can I make a suggestion?" Ana asked quietly from where she sat on the clearing floor between Derek and Allison.

Derek glanced down at the girl standing up, and raised an eyebrow. _God damn those stupid things_, Stiles thought. "Maybe you should try… unfocusing, Stiles."

"What?"

"I-I think you're trying to focus too much."

Stiles blinked. Every movie and book ever alway said that the key to being an epic fighter was focusing. Even Derek preached about it. Focus and everything will become clear right?

"It doesn't hurt to try." Ana said.

"Actually from my perspective it is really hurting to try," Stiles huffed. "No offense," he said to Boyd, who just shrugged.

Ana pursed her lips and gave him a look somewhere along the lines of 'Stiles stop being an idiot'. Derek glanced at Scott, who seemed as confused as Stiles but nodded, calling Boyd back. Ana walked over and sat down next to Stiles as everyone else paired off to either go for a run or patrol. Allison and Lydia stayed, engrossed in a conversation of some kind. The two alphas also appeared to be discussing something (probably what to do with the failwolf on his first full moon, Stiles thought).

Ana asked him what happens when he tries to focus. Stiles sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't know. It feels like I'm chasing myself in a circle? Like I can't keep up with what I'm trying to do."

Ana narrowed her eyes and bit at her bottom lip. "How about this. Close your eyes for a moment and just let your mind do what it wants to."

Stiles glanced at Ana skeptically, but decided to humor her. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. He could feel the minor bruises from earlier healing, could hear the night sounds of the forest around him. He felt Ana's presence, her steady heartbeat and a subtle smell of dewy grass and pine needles. He heard the low tone of Derek and Scott talking. Scott's presence was familiar, like being home or sitting outside in the summer under the tree in his backyard. Derek, though, was different. It was similar to the safe feeling Scott gave off but more… reassuring. Like the feeling of being safe was just for him, not a general sense protection. It was calming and Stiles' body relaxed as he reached out for it.

"How is it?" Ana asked, bringing Stiles back.

"Huh. Better?" Stiles said, surprised.

Ana smiled and stood up. She absently brushed away some dirt from her knees and shrugged off her hoodie. "Ok, now try doing it again, but this time try to catch me." He looked up at her dubiously, but she rolled her eyes and hoisted him up. "C'mon. Close your eyes, just like a moment ago."

* * *

On his third try Stiles saw Ana's bluff to dodge him and when she ducked low to throw him off balance, he slipped around her and catching her by the waist, flung her to the ground. She didn't miss a beat though, rolled over and kicked his legs out from under him. He panicked for the briefest of moments as he lost his balance, but instead of tensing up and forcing his mind to narrow focus, he just let go. He saw Ana about to spring back up, and grabbed her wrist, using his own moment to bring her down again and he found himself pinning her to the forest floor, knee on her stomach. She was grinning up at him. "See?" she said, a little winded.

"Go Stiles!" Allison called out, clapping with glee. Lydia looked mildly impressed, a little smirk on her face.

"Dude, that was great!" Scott said as he came over, beaming as he helped Stiles up.

"Not bad," Derek said, a rare smile relaxing his features.

"Yeah," Stiles said, catching his breath. He felt like his whole body was buzzing, but in a good way. Maybe this whole werewolf thing won't be so bad. He could do this.

**Well, that's it folks! I hope you enjoyed Black Dog Sin. This is my first complete fanfiction and it was pretty awesome writing it. I like ending things on a positive note and I hope it's not too sappy. If you liked this keep your eye out for more, I have a few more plot lines I want to use with this AU. I want to indulge my Sterek feels a bit more than hinting at it like I did here. I'm not sure which plot I'm going to pursue next, whether a direct sequel or a couple short vignettes before the next major story. But I have ideas. All of the ideas. Including some crossovers.**

**Thanks again for reading! I love feedback and I'm always looking to improve my writing. I may alter the tags a bit or make little grammar changes but other then that, this is a wrap.**


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